National Cross Sectional Study of Workplace Well-being of Hospital Doctors in Ireland

A national cross-sectional study was done to measure levels of occupational stress, burn-out, work–life balance, presenteeism, work ability (balance between work and personal resources) and desire to practise in trainee and consultant hospital doctors in Ireland. Participants included 1749 doctors (response rate of 55%). Twenty-nine percent of respondents had insufficient work ability and there was no sex, age or grade difference, 70.6% reported strong or very strong desire to practise medicine, 22% reported good work–life balance, 82% experienced workplace stress, with effort greatly exceeding reward, exacerbated by over commitment. Burn-out was evident in 29.7% and was significantly associated with male sex, younger age, lower years of practice, lower desire to practise, lower work ability, higher ERI ratio and greater over commitment. Hospital doctors across all grades in Ireland had insufficient work ability, low levels of work–life balance, high levels of work stress and almost one-third experienced burn-out indicating sub optimal work conditions and environment. Yet, most had high desire to practise medicine.